Nobody who drove past that gray Ford Escape on the roads of Jefferson County, Illinois, had any idea what was hidden inside. The man behind the wheel had allegedly just shot his wife dead — and was calmly driving around with her body locked in the trunk.
That man was John W. Finney, 52. His wife, Amy J. Finney, 42, never made it out of their home alive. On the evening of August 31, 2025, investigators believe John shot Amy during a domestic argument at their residence. Instead of calling for help, he put her body in the back of his Ford Escape and drove.
For hours, he kept moving. No destination. No plan. Just a dead woman in the hatchback and a man who apparently thought he could outrun what he’d done.
On September 1, 2025, around 8 p.m., the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a tip about a possible homicide. Deputies immediately began searching for a gray 2007 Ford Escape.
About an hour into the search, an officer with the Christopher Police Department spotted the vehicle and pulled it over. John Finney was at the wheel. He was detained without incident.
Officers searched the car. Amy Finney was found dead in the hatchback. While the traffic stop was unfolding, other deputies were already processing the couple’s home — and what they found there confirmed their worst suspicions.
“Preliminary evidence gathered strongly supports that Amy Finney died from a gunshot wound during a domestic dispute with John at their home,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office stated.
John Finney was charged with first-degree murder. He was tried, found guilty, and on sentencing day, a judge gave him exactly what the case demanded.
75 years in prison. No second chances. No early exits.
Finney was taken back to jail following sentencing and will be transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections to serve out his sentence — meaning he will almost certainly die behind bars.
What This Means: Amy Finney was 42 years old. She died inside her own home, in what should have been the one place she was safe. Her husband now faces the rest of his life in a prison cell — but for Amy, justice, however complete, will always arrive too late.
She deserved better. The law made sure he got exactly what he deserved.
